1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a mechanism for moving a heavy object comprising a base on which the object is supported, said base having at least one wheel so that the heavy object and the base can be moved easily and means for storing the wheel(s) inside the base.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
There are many instances in which heavy objects, such as portable toilets, generators, compressors, prefabricated houses, containers, oil tanks, etc. need to be moved a short distance. These heavy objects are not permanently fixed to the ground by an anchor or by being incorporated in a building, but rather, they are temporarily fixed at locations where such heavy objects are used because they will need to be moved to the next positions where they will be used. It is difficult to raise and move these heavy objects because they are not light, unlike tools and implements. Accordingly, the heavy objects are typically lifted by the cable of a crane or by the fork of a forklift truck. The heavy objects can be smoothly transported by the crane or the forklift truck, thereby facilitating the working efficiency without heavily burdening the operator.
When these objects are to be carried for long distances, the crane and the forklift truck are very effective. However, if these heavy objects are to be moved a relatively short distance, e.g. several tens of meters, cranes and forklift trucks are seldom used because they are complex and costly. Furthermore, it is difficult to use cranes and forklift trucks for moving these heavy objects a very short distance of several tens of centimeters after these heavy objects have been transferred to the location where they are installed.
There has been a demand for apparatus for moving heavy objects which are difficult to move by manpower, yet which need to be moved only a short distance. That is, there is a demand for an apparatus by means of which a heavy object can be easily moved by a simple apparatus and without using a crane or a forklift truck and without heavily burdening the operator, thereby facilitating the working efficiency.